Painted Mining Bee vs Mnestra's Ringlet

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Painted Mining Bee Mnestra's Ringlet
Scientific Name Andrena fucata Erebia mnestra
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Andrenidae Nymphalidae
Size 10-13 mm 32-38 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Grasslands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Alps
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Painted Mining Bee

A handsome spring bee with a red-brown thorax and banded abdomen. It is common in woodland clearings and gardens across Europe.

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Did You Know?

It is a favourite host of the cuckoo bee Nomada flava, which lays eggs in its nest burrows.

Mnestra's Ringlet

A dark alpine ringlet with bright orange patches on its forewings. It inhabits steep, rocky grasslands at high elevations.

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Did You Know?

It has a two-year life cycle, with larvae overwintering twice before pupating.